The present invention principally relates to a usable surface designed to support a writing pad or the like, with this usable surface preferably being incorporated into an armrest utilized in a vehicle.
Often creative people, such as writers, inventors and some members of the noble professions, as they ride along in an automobile, visualize certain concepts and solutions to problems with which they are confronted, and in such instances, such persons need to have means for capturing those ideas, concepts and solutions, before they slip out of reach and become lost.
Other people riding in an automobile tend to think over the activities of the day or their financial obligations, and in doing so it becomes desirable for them to make a list of things to be done the next day, or later in the week.
I am aware that others have designed tables for use in automobiles, and one example is U.S. Pat. No. 2,797,739 to Orsini entitled "Combined Arm Rest, Table and Drawer for Vehicle Seats," which was issued Jul. 2, 1957. That patent taught the use of a table carried in a vehicle armrest, but rather unfortunately, the mechanism that patentee uses for the support of the slidably mounted table is configured such that it may well interfere with the use of a writing pad thereon. In addition, it is necessary for the table used by Orsini to be turned 90.degree. before it can be used.
The Kathiria U.S. Pat. No. 4,453,759 entitled "Floor Console With Latchable Sliding Tray" teaches an article-carrying tray member that can be slid forwardly out of a floor console located in the front passenger space of an automobile. The tray member is described as having two bores for receiving beverage containers. This patentee says nothing about having means for supporting a writing surface, nor is any storage space provided in the device. Also, the tray is slidable between upper and lower internal walls 34 and 36 that would prevent a writing pad from remaining on the surface of the tray after it has been pushed back into the console.
Another example of portable table for use in vehicles is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,446, which issued to H. Goings on a portable car seat tray formed from a single sheet of folded cardboard. The tray has legs provided with a seat matching contour and also has receptacles for food and beverage containers. U.S. Pat No. 3,632,158, which issued to A. Boothe, discloses a console designed to be supported on a vehicle seat, whereas U.S. Pat. No. 4,087,126 to L. Wynn discloses a console for van-type vehicles, with receptacles for beverage containers.
The Hawie U.S. Pat. No. 3,951,448 teaches a receptacle armrest requiring a recess or pocket in the backrest of the seat, to permit the armrest to be tilted. A tray with upstanding sidewalls is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,341,418, to A. Chappell, which discloses a car seat table capable of being stored under a car seat. The table of the Chappell patent is constructed from three sections connected to one another by hinges. The table is held in an upside-down storage position by guide runners centrally positioned in alignment on each table section and which slides along a track mounted on the bottom of the car seat for storage. The tray is provided with a plurality of apertures for receiving beverage containers and has a flat table top portion with opposed upstanding sidewalls.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,696, to H. Priesman, discloses a tray for use in an automobile which is fitted on its underside with folding legs, of a size which, when extended, mount the tray on the floor inside a vehicle over the hump of the transmission shaft. The tray has receptacles for accommodating food and beverage containers, and has a flat table top portion surrounded by upstanding sidewalls. U.S. Pat. No. 3,922,973 to H. Sturgeon, discloses a portable automobile desk for use in vehicles. The vehicle desk is provided with attaching brackets and straps to secure the desk to the wire frame of the underside of the seat.
The Barrett U.S. Pat. No. 2,016,571 relates to a desk having a top portion which is adjustably tiltable and which is forwardly and rearwardly adjustably slidable. The Barrett, however, does not teach a slidable drawer which may be tucked completely away when not in use. Also, the tiltable surface cannot be used as an armrest inasmuch as book supporting edge 46 would be an unpleasant obstacle upon which to rest an arm. Although a book could be rested on the tiltable surface of the Barrett device, this patent does not teach a tiltable surface upon which a writing pad could be conveniently secured, upon which the user could easily write.
All of these previous arrangements for providing a table that theoretically could be used in a vehicle have distinct disadvantages insofar as being an ideal writing surface.
There also exists a variety of cup holders or container holders utilized for supporting cups, cans and other beverage containers in a vehicle such that the vehicle occupants can support such beverage containers while in the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,764 issued Nov. 29, 1983 is representative of one cup holder structure which is incorporated in the armrest of a vehicle and which can accommodate such containers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,326,445 discloses a disposable container holder for use on a car seat. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,497,076 and 4,040,659 also disclose cup holders which move from a storage position within a support structure in an automobile to a use position.
With regard to foreign art, German Patent No. 3,807,880 teaches an armrest with a slidable lid, but such is clearly not a tiltable armrest console.
Although such various cup holders are useful for single or limited sized containers, the system of the present invention is adapted to accommodate a variety of different sized beverage containers such as cans, coffee mugs, large cups and the like.
In addition to providing distinct improvements upon these prior art devices, other important objects of this invention are to provide a useful armrest configuration which may have one or more drawers to contain writing materials, maps, and the like, the attachment being highly integrated in construction and easily installed in a vehicle in a secure and comfortable position.
Further important objects and advantageous features of the instant invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration rather than limitation, certain specific embodiments of the invention are set forth in detail.